SERMON VI. notfo.ffer you to he tempted abOiJe that )'DU ~T( a!Jle; lmt willll)ith t~;e Temptation alfo make a way to efcape, tbat ye may he able to bear zt. As a prudent Phyfic1a.n confitlts the Srre h ofthe Patient as well as the Quality of the Difeafe, and proportions his Medicine~g{. :f~~h~f~t~~: I~~~~~dr~:;ot;h~1d~~~r"st~:;;~~r,u~~a:~~~ii~fs:·~e%1~~e wife Prcfc~ip~ . The Apoille fpecifies the immediate End of Gqd in his Chafl<:nings: Bat he for p fit, t/Jat 1ve may he partakers_ of his,H.olinefi. This is the fiipream ExceUency of theOi,,(;; Nature, .and our Conformity to JDJs to valuable, that Jtrendcrs Affhehonsnor only t lcrable, but fo f.1r defir~ble as ;hey' contribute to it. In the prefenr State our Graco. are imperfeCt, and our Conformity to the Divine Purity is Jike theRefc'!'blance of tl:~ ir;h~~ ·~1,~~~~~0~s:P.1~:7ed~~cft~i~;~;~at~eo;Jr:~~~1,i~~~~~db~nifll\~i~~:.' ~:·~ Srorue IS cut by the Arttficer, to bnng_tt mto a bcauttful Form. 0 He is pleafed to bring us into divers Temptations to try our Faith, to work in us Pa.. ~~~d~'~he~~~~m~~~~:£::~:~~d ~~ ~h;ttr~l~,r ~:~~~e~~;eJiv~0: ~~~~k t;,:t ~~~"{;~;; wherewith others d1e. And certamly 1f we make a true Judgm~nt of things, we have not the leafl: caufe to fufped: the Love of God when he chaOites us, to rake a•ray Sin the only abominable Object of his Hatred and deen DeteOltion, a_nd to render us Panakcrs of the Divine Nature. And t!Je prefent peaceable Fruit of Rig~teoufnefi is t!Je Produ/1 in thofe who are duly exercifed hy their Troubles. 1t is an AlluC,on ro the Reward of the Conquerors in t!Je Olympick Ga_mes, who had ' Cro"" of Ol ives, the Emblem and , Sh~dow of Peace, But t)'ue Peace, a Divine Calm ;, rhe Confctence, fl1all be the Re. compence of all t~at exemfe their Graces futable to an affi1 !{):ed Stare. In fl10it; the 1 Cor. IJ.3: . Apo!l:le a!fures Believers, that;hey are chajfenet{ of the Lord,. tn preVent theic Condem 11a. ~~ne~:~~;;~~~;;; iri'{;,hf;_~?::,·~~~ga~~,~~~1~~~S'~~~ 1~~~~;~;~· oo~l~isif~h~~~:~'\:; O:ony or fhowery that leads to Bleilednefs, a ChriOian fhoulcf willmgly walk in it. To conclude; fro~ the Contiderati,on of what theScnpturedeclares concernmg Temporal Evils, let us lift up tbe Hands.tiJa.t hang down, and the feeble Knees; and make· j/raigbt Paths [or our Feet, l~fl :hat whtch 1.S lame he turned out of tbe wal; hut let it rather he_ heaL ed: i.e. In our Afllictwn, let us ;ake Courage and Refolut10n from the Promifes, and liv~\~eafi~a1::n~0l~~~~ifo'nt~fG;.~~~~bha~~th~h~.~:~! f~~~~:,m~~nb~~~~~~: Storms to which they are liable in this open State, to rendertheSou!'IJe/ut Pelagi rupes immota, as a Rock unfhaken by the Waves. But all their DireCtions were unfuccefsful, and fo could not fecure them from lmpa. tience or Defpair. But the Gofpel that affures us of the Love of God in fending Afflictions for our Spiritual and Eternal Good, lS alone able to ~ompofe the Mind. And whenever we faint in Troubles, ,tis either from Infidelity or Inconlideration; 'tis impoffible a Perfon fhould be a Chrifl:ian, and be inc,apable of Comfort in the mof\ affii. Cl:ed State: for we are really fo by the holy Spirit, who is the Comforter. When we fpeak fometimes to thofe we judge infirm, we fJ?eak to Infidels, who only receive Re· medy from Time wluch they ought to r_eceJVdrom Fa1th; they have the Name of God prtry 'in their Mouths, but the World lS 10 the~r Hearts. The1r Paflions are flrong and obOinate, not fubjed: to fanctified Reafon. TheDifficulty they have of being comfoned, di!Covers the neceflity of their being affliCted. They need Converfion more than Con- (olation; others, who are fincereiu Faith, yet are apt to f.1int under Troubles, from an Error like that of the ApoOles; when their Lord came upon the Waters in aflormy tempefl:uousNighttotheir AfliOance, they thought he was a Spirit, So they look on ~0~u~s;~r~~:~;'to'~~~~.~ ~heJ~d~~;ta.;P's:~?e ~;~ ~~~u~ ~~f;.~~fe~~~s ~:o':?e: Thus we !hall reconcile the roughnefs of his Hand with thefiveetnefs of his Voice: he calls to us from Heaven in the darkefl: Night, 'iis I, he not afraid. He correds us wuh the Heart and Hand of a Father. A due Confideration of thefe things will produce a glorified Joy in the midfl of our R.om. tf. 1· Sufferings. Whatfo~er tbing,s were written aforetime, were written for QHT Learni»g,that we througb Patience •ndComfort of tbe Srriptures migbt baw Hope. SERMON
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